The present invention generally relates to containers, particularly relates to foldable pans, more particularly relates to foldable baking pans, and specifically relates to foldable baking pans for use as a promotional device in the sale of products such as cereal boxes in which such pans are placed in a flat condition.
Due to the fierce competition in the marketing of breakfast cereals, it is the practice of many cereal manufacturers to include a premium with the cereal to promote the sale of the cereal beyond the marketability of the cereal itself. It can certainly be appreciated that such promotional devices must meet several requirements. First, as such devices are typically given away with the product, such devices must be relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Additionally, such devices must have the ability to be easily included with the product without disruption of the normal handling of such product. Thus, it is desirable that the promotional device be includable with the product without requiring different boxes, cartons, or the like, which would increase the cost of product production. Similarly, the promotional device should not require special handling or care by the manufacturer and retailer of the product beyond that normally given the product without the promotional device. Likewise, the promotional device should meet or exceed safety requirements such as set by the Consumer Products Safety Commission for the age group of consumers intended to utilize the promotional device. But most important, the promotional device should have consumer appeal to maximize the promotional value of the device.
Prior promotional devices include items like coupons or the like which are printed on the boxes of the product or which are placed with the product in the boxes of the product, toys and other novelty items which are placed in the boxes of the product, and the like.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a baking pan which can be folded to a flat condition.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a novel foldable baking pan especially adaptable for use as a promotional device in the sale of a product, and especially cereal.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a novel foldable baking pan which is formed from a blank of a single layer of generally stiff material such as plastic-coated paperboard.
It is still further an object of the present invention to provide such a novel foldable baking pan including provisions for preventing overfilling of the pan in its three-dimensional, erect condition for functionality and safety reasons.